The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-10-14
Ladies' Department.
HOUSE, KEE PING MADE EASY.
BY CHRISTINE TERHUNE HERRICK.
IN THE KITCHEN.

than to the mistress, yet IL belongs
to the latter much more truly than
to the former. The cook may hold
the position of regent, but the abso-
Lutte sway must be in the hands of
the woman head of the house More.
over, she must rule not only by the
right of her position, but by virtue
of her knowledge. She must have
clear idea of how matters should be
managed, and of how they are in re-
atty conducted. No superficial &C
uuaintance will answer here, but
there must be a genuine study of
all appertaining to the theory and
practice of the culinary department.
This, too, must not be confined alone
to the preparation of the food, but to
the charge of the utensils required
for this purpose. the handling of the
means by which the desired end is
attained.
One Of the first accomplishments
to be mastered by the woman who
wishes to become thoroughly con-
versant with the ins and outs Of her
kitchen is the making of range fire.
This is one of the tasks that it is
popularity supposed may be perform
ed by anybody-a faith that is often
followed by confusion when the ex-
pertinent is attempted. The condi-
ton of the stove itself is one Of the
first things to be looked to. Time
is wasted in an endeavor to build a
hot fire on substratum Of cold ash,
es and clinkers. The CRATE must first
be cleaned out, and the ash-pan
withdrawn, emptied, and replaced.
Careless or lazy cook sometimes
neglect to return the pan, permitting
instead, the hot Goals and ashes to
fall on the floor OF the stove, thus
in time seriously injuring it. The
stove should be cleaned before the
fire is built, the ashes brushes off the
top, and the range BACKED.
This care, If given every morning.
will prove light, and will keep the
stove in condition that will do
away with the necessity for hard
task of rubbing once week. 1t is
o mistaken idea to plead, as do some
cooks, that the stove is more easily
polished when warm. The backing
is apt to turn gray if applied to the
stove except when it is cold. The
range neat and shining, the real max
ing of the fire may begin. Lift the
front top of the stoye, and on the
grating below lay crumpled-not
folded-newspaper. The impossi-
bility of the air having free current
through the layers of q closely fold.
ed paper causes it to shoulder In
stead of burning brightly. Over the
paper heap the kindling, placing the
sticks in an irregular fashion, that
here too the air may have free play.
Open The draughts, touch a match to
the paper, and as soon as it and the
kindlings are fairly ignited pour on
about half hodful Of coal. Do not
wait to do this until the wood is all
ablaze. In that case there is often
not heat enough to kindle the coal,
so that the whole fire goes out, and
the stove has to be emptied and the
work begun all over again. Before
putting on the covers brush into the
fire all bits of wood or coal that have
been left on the top of the stove. The
amount of coal that has been put on
should be sufficiently kindled by the
end of half an hour to allow OF hay
ing little more added. There is no
sense or economy in having the
stove filed up to the lids, nor should
these be allowed to become red-hot
When the fire is fairly under way.
the draughts may be closed and the
heat thrown into the ovens. The
draughts of a stove form branch of
kitchen science demanding the house.
keepers special consideration. In
fortunately each stove has its own
idiosyncrasies. so that no fixed rule
can be formulated that will apply
without exception to all.
Another matter obliging study is
the amount of coal required by a
range. This varies not only accord
ing to the size of the stove, but also
depends largely upon the draughts
and the cook. An ordinary good.
sized range for ordinary service
should not need more than two good
hodfuls of coal per diem. On iron
ing day a hotter fire is necessary,
and three scuttlefuls will probably
be the minimum. Constant watch
ing of fire and the adding of lit
tie coal from time to time are far
preferable to the usual custom of
filling the stove to the top, and then
letting the fire burn so nearly out
that the embers have to be coaxed
into usefulness by kindling wood.
When there is a red-hot bed of Goals
then is the time to put on more fuel,
before the white heat has died away
and been succeeded by cinders.
One of the most important and
most neglected part of the kitchen